2 Peter 2:10 - Exposition

But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness; literally, in the lust of pollution. The word occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, but the corresponding verb is found in several places ( Titus 1:15 ; Hebrews 12:15 ; Jud 8). We observe that in this verse St. Peter passes from the future tense to the present. And despise government; rather, lordship ( κυριότητος ) . St. Jude has the same word in Jude 1:8 . In Ephesians 1:21 and Colossians 1:16 it is used of angelic dignities. Here it seems to stand for all forms of authority. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities; literally, daring, self-willed, they tremble not when speaking evil of glories; or, they fear not glories, blaspheming. The word rendered "daring" ( τολμηταί ) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. These daring, self-willed men despise all lordship, all glories, whether the glory of Christ ("the excellent glory," 2 Peter 1:17 ), or the glory of the angels, or the glory of holiness, or the glory of earthly sovereignty. The next verse, however, makes it probable that the glory of the angels was the thought present to St. Peter's mind. It may be that, as some false teachers had inculcated the worship of angels ( Colossians 2:18 ), others had gone to the opposite extreme (comp. Jud 8). The Vulgate strangely translates δόξας by sectas.